Civil servants in Wales have lost more income than their colleagues in the rest of the UK because of spending cuts, research for the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union suggests.

Civil servants in Wales have lost more income than their colleagues in the rest of the UK because of spending cuts, research for the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union suggests.

A survey of the union's members showed income had fallen faster in Wales than anywhere else in the UK, with the average civil servant losing more than £770 in the last six months.

Increased pension contributions – nominated by 49% of respondents – and the rising cost of living (31%) were the two most common reasons given for this.

The findings were released as the TUC opened its annual conference, where delegates from PCS and other unions called for joint strike action over cuts to pay, pensions and jobs.

In PCS’s survey of its members, 88% of its members across the UK said Chancellor George Osborne's most recent Budget had made them worse off, with workers in Wales on average £124 a month worse off.

Almost nine in 10 people across the UK had cut down on spending and 92% said they had experienced increased stress over the last six months as a result of economic issues or employment.

These findings mirror figures being revealed in a new online “austerity calculator” devised by the union to work out how much civil servants stand to lose in the coming years.

The calculator, which is on the PCS website, takes account of the Government's pay freeze and 1% pay cap policy, changes to public sector pensions that the Government is trying to impose, and increases in the cost of living.

PCS Wales Secretary Peter Harris said: “Wales is more heavily dependent on the public sector than the UK as a whole, for employment as well as vital services. More than a quarter of all those in employment in Wales are based in the public sector, so cuts on the scale of those being imposed by the UK Government are bound to have a very serious impact.

“It's not just public employees themselves who are suffering as a result of these attacks on their pay and pensions – the whole Welsh economy will lose out as a result of their reduced spending power. There is therefore an urgent need for workers to take a stand in defence of their living standards.

PCS General Secretary Mark Serwotka said: “Our communities and workers in Wales are being badly hit by the Westminster Government's brutal and unnecessary cuts to public spending that are clearly not working.

“These figures show why we believe that, as well as protesting on October 20, we will need to follow this up as soon as possible with further co-ordinated strikes, bringing workers together across the public and private sectors.”

The survey results come at a time of increasing unease within both Coalition parties.

A Tory plot to oust David Cameron was revealed by a backbench MP who confirmed he was asked to consider a “stalking horse” leadership challenge against the Prime Minister.

Colonel Bob Stewart said he was approached by two party colleagues before the summer recess with the proposal but that he told them to “get lost” and rejected the idea as “silly”.

Col Stewart, who was commanding officer of the British battalion in Bosnia, said: “It was a silly suggestion that I dismissed. I told them to get lost. I was not having anything to do with it.”

He declined to name the plotters and said he had not been told on whose behalf the pair were operating.

“I do not know; I do not care,” he said, insisting he remained loyal to Mr Cameron who was “the reason I came into politics”.

Meanwhile Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls suggested the Liberal Democrats should join forces with Labour to pressure the Tories to adopt a Plan B to re-invigorate the economy.

Mr Balls said he could start work with Business Secretary Vince Cable immediately to kick-start the economy with a capital spending programme, but ruled out Labour forming a future alliance with the party’s current leader Nick Clegg.

Mr Balls insisted he wanted an outright win for Labour in 2015 but said that in the meantime his party should be working with the Lib Dems as he sought to undermine the coalition ahead of the party conference season.

Speaking to Andrew Marr on the BBC, Mr Balls said: “I wish George Osborne would see Vince Cable as a man to do business with and listen to, rather than telling the newspapers he is putting his allies in [to the Business department] to try and surround him and hold him back.

“Vince should be listened to on banking reform and on the economy. I could work with Vince. I would like the Liberal Democrats to say right now that this coalition has failed and we’re going to change course.”

Mr Balls also used the interview to attack the leadership of Prime Minister, who he accused of “treating women badly” – a reference to the way Mr Cameron apparently sacked Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman and Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan in last week’s Cabinet reshuffle.

Responding to the PCS survey, a UK Government spokesman said last night: “In March we set out our final proposed agreements on pension reform following more than a year of intensive discussions with trade unions. Our reforms ensure that public sector pensions will remain among the very best available and that they can be sustained for the future.

“The Government took the tough decision to freeze public sector pay for two years, while protecting those earning under £21,000 by increasing their pay by at least £250 per year.

“Pay restraint has helped to protect jobs in the public sector and support high quality public services.

“It is disappointing that some unions insist on pushing for futile strike action which benefits no-one. As we have said time and again, pension talks will not be reopened and nothing further will be achieved through strike action.”

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